Sunday, March 30, 2008

Police Commissioner Howard Broad has been expressing regret to Tuhoe over the police raids last year during which weapons were found and about 17 people arrested.

Now, I understand the various trials are still progressing, but let us look back to what happened at the time.

There was the media outrage that the 'terrorists' were going to kill 'the prime minister' until it turned out the PM they had in mind was 'the next prime minister- John Key!"

Now, it appears that offences were not chargeable under anti-terror legislation, suggesting a major stuff up by the police and certainly the government in drafting the wording of the law.

Such expressions of regret, and potential apologies to Tuhoe in future, does raise querstions about how much the raid was 'political'.

Have the police become such lapdogs to Dear Leader that they carry out so much at her best rather than be independent, impartial and above the political fray.

Have the police lost their independence? When they seem more intent on acting as the IRD on wheels than catching other criminals, then this seems increasingly so.

Indeed, while the individual officer on the beat is still a force for good, can we say this of the chiefs at the top?

It all started going downhill for the police soon after Dear Leader's election in December 1999 when she lied to the editor of the Sunday Star-Times to help remove Police Commissioner Peter Doone and start imposing her own placemen in the police force.

And thus the controversy of Doonegate was born, leading to the police failings and politicised public service we have today.

13 comments:

What a shower of shit we have at the top of the police in this country, a boss who is too frightened for his pension to go up against the thief in chief and a deputy who is under investigation for fitting up scott watson.

Well said Bill - when is Broad going to apologise to Chris Watson for the NZ Police taking FOUR YEARS (so far) to investigate the allegation of corruption against Rob Pope, and for appointing a SUBORDINATE officer to conduct the investigation - like anyone REALLY believes that a subordinate Bobby will find fault in his superior - yeah, right!

Bullshit Harpoon! Anyway, speaking of the fine New Zealand Police force, has Len Richards yet been charged for his "megaphone diplomacy" outside the Labour Party conference?? Remember that, where both TV news channels had footage which was clear evidence of an assault being committed, while at least seven uniformed Police stood and watched. No, you're right Harpoon, the Police aren't at all politicised!!

Er, fitting up Scott Watson? FFS - are there any murderers in this fucking country who did actually do it? Show some bollocks, you murdering scumbags.

Inventory2 - those of us who recall good old Ben Couch and his squads of boofheads with their "Minto bars" find it difficult to credit the concept of a politicised Police force being a recent development...

I don't see it so much as an argument as a statement of fact. These kind of organisations are always political - you just don't like the current flavour. If someone could come up with a way of guaranteeing a non-politicised Police force, that would be great, but I don't expect it'll turn up until after we've figured out much easier stuff like faster-than-light drives and matter transporters.

From memory, the only folk feeling a minto bar was engaged in riotous (and hence illegal) act at the time?Okay, the aim may have merit, but the ends can’t justify the means, or else anything goes. That’s why it is not reasonable (at this stage) for so-called right-wingers to rise up and overthrow the liarbore rulers. There is a perfectly reasonable method for the change of gummint, called elections. Although the Electoral Finance Act is a blow to the reasonable method…

Well it does seem that Commissioner Broad's statement of regret was by Political Direction . No Police Leader I know would set out to undermine the actions and prosecution case of his staff especially while the matter is sub judice...With respect to WATSON any suggestion of corruption by Pope is rediculous. All that is alleged is that the length of Watson's hair at the time is in dispute, and that this would cause some indecision on the part of the Judge issuing a wiretap warrant.It has no bearing on the admissions heard as a result of the warrant...As for Psychos faulty memory of 1981. The Comssioner at the time was Bob WALTON no-one who knew him or served under him would seriously suggest he was subservient to Politicians......BAXTER

I am SICK TO DEATH of everyone in any position of prominence in this country either being busy apologising his/her arse off, or demanding apolgies from all and sundry. We have become a nation of wimps and single-agenda-driven self-centred exploiters. Those earthquakes you're feeling are our hard-working, inventive, spirited, conscientious pioneers turning in their graves..

As for Psychos faulty memory of 1981. The Comssioner at the time was Bob WALTON

I don't recall making any claims about who was Police Commissioner at the time Baxter, so where you get the "faulty memory" bit from is beyond me.

You impose a very restrictive definition of "politicisation" of the force - I recall not only the "Minto bars" but also the way some of the heroic Minto bar wielders brought said bars to a Canterbury party and enthusiastically demonstrated for the guests the moves they were planning to inflict on protestors, to general acclaim. Politics is about more than politicians.